It’s almost the end of summer and many of us are still trying to tick off our to do list hoping that we are able to squeeze every single item in… tick, tick, tick, the beach, the movies, amusement parks, picnics, bbq’s, birthdays, etc… .. it all sounds wonderful and… exhausting.  It is almost as though we need to get it all done to assure ourselves we did everything we were suppose to do to have a good summer.

I remember a time when the simple things we did during the hot months were what made it so wonderful..  We lived on a picturesque street and we were lucky enough to have a Cherry tree in the front yard.  This was no ordinary fruit tree! To my cousins and myself it was a main source of entertainment.  You heard me.. and before you go thinking that sounds very simple.. it was… not.

The Cherry tree was tall with strong branches perfect for sitting on .. what a view we had as we placed ourselves carefully on the largest branch … of course we couldn’t all go on at the same time.. just like the roller coaster at the CNE, this tree had a waiting line.  The four of us would share the tree.. of course my older cousin always got to go first , the rest of us whining for her to hurry up as we all wanted a turn before our parents called us in for supper.  My Grandmother usually came out to pick a few of these juicy fruits and she thought it was absolutely normal to see her grandchildren hanging of the tree branches.

When it was my turn to climb the tree, I was filled with excitement.  I had my mini boom box in one hand and I held on tight with the other … up there in the sky with the leaves and warm wind blowing… the music sounded so much sweeter from up above.  It was an escape and it was lovely.  At times I would bring my journal and pencil with me , pick my favorite branch .. the one highest to the top and just write away.. The summer list was simple and somehow we managed to tick off every single item without even noticing that our evening ice cream truck,  the late night walk, a day at the pool, Sundays at the beach with the rest of the cousins, aunts and uncles…the Freezies, soccer games and …. the Cherry tree were all part of what made our summer perfect.

Above is a drawing to honor our Cherry Tree and all it has represented to me and my summers on Euclid.   When I climbed up onto the branch I was flying high, daydreaming and listening to music while picking a red sweet cherry or two.  Can you guess what was on my boom box at the time?

The photo below is a moment in time , while I was growing up being an only child, I never felt alone.  I was surrounded by cousins, some who lived around the block, others who lived a bus ride away and the three that I grew up with.. they are siblings in my heart, the songs sung, the stories we shared and the love that we had as we spent our summers underneath our Cherry tree.

I wish you all an enchanting rest of Summer, and I can only hope you find your magic place …a spot that will represent your Summer memories and your heart.

Until we meet again,  Katerini

Please don’t forget to click the link, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Play it LOUD!